Gas and liquid contacting apparatus



J 1938. c. T. ASBURY 2,122,334

GAS AND LIQUID CONTACTING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 23, 1936 Patented June 28, 1938 GAS AND LIQUID CONTACTING APPARATUS Charles T. Asbury, Elkins Park, Pa. Application September 23, 1936, Serial No. 102,216 5 Claims. (01. 299-63) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to new and useful improvements in gas and liquid contact apparatus and more particularly to gas scrubbing or washing devices.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a pumping or liquid spray creating unit for devices of the nature stated which is constructed and arranged so that a continuous spray of uniform substantially constant volume will be produced to contact the gas flowing through the apparatus.

This as well as other objects of the invention and the features and detailsof construction thereof are set forth hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an apparatus made in accordance with the present invention, and

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section illustrating a modified form of liquid pumping and spraying element. I

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, reference numeral l denotes the shellor casing of the apparatus which in practice will be preferably made up from a series of sections as is usual in the art and secured together in any approved manner. The number of sections and consequently the height of the shell or casing I will, of course, be dependent upon the desired capacity of the apparatus, and while four pumping and spraying elements are shown in Fig. 1, it is td be understood that a greater or less number may be employed.

The lower end of the casing l is formed to receive a quantity of water or other suitable gas washing liquid of predetermined depth and a gas inlet 2 is provided adjacent the lower end of said shell or casing l above the surface line of the body of liquid in the bottom thereof, a gas outlet or oiftake 3 being provided at the upper end of the casing or housing I. The shell or casing l is divided into what may be termed a series of washing or scrubbing chambers by means of a number of spaced bailies and pan-like receptacles 5, 6 and 1, hereinafter specifically defined, which extend transversely of said shell or casing; said washing or scrubbing chambers being designated generally by reference numerals 8, 9, l and II.

Extending through the shell or casing is a vertically disposed shaft l2 supported at its upper end by any suitable form of bearing l3 and at its lower end by means of a bearing l4 which holds the same against lateral displacement. The shaft is rotatably driven by suitable source of power such as a motor I5 which is preferably of the variable speed type for reasons to be described more in detail hereinafter.

The baflle 5 which forms the bottom of the lowermost washing chamber 8 is of annular form and includes a declining portion l5 secured at its outer edge to the wall of the casing l and terminating inwardly at an upwardly inclined portion IS the upper edge of which defines an opening ll of substantial diameter. The panlike receptacles 6 and baflles 1 are of identical construction throughout the scrubber and a description of one of each thereof will be sumcient. As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing each pan 6 is provided with an opening and a depending collar l8 centrally in the bottom thereof within which the shaft I2 is rotatably mounted or journalled and the pans or receptacles 6 are of suflicient depth to contain a body of liquid supplied thereto through taps l9 from a common supply 2!), flow of said liquid being in each instance controlled by means of a valve 2|.

The baifies I previously mentioned are, like baille 5, of annular form including an outer declining portion 24 secured at its outer edge to the wall of the casing l and terminating inwardly a. slightly declining portion 25 which overlies and is secured to the upper edges of the blades or vanes 22 with its inner edge terminating at the inner ends of the said vanes 22 and defining an opening 26 centrally therethrough.

The several liquid pumping and spraying elements 23 mentioned above are of identical construction and comprise a main body portion 21 of substantially inverted frusto-conical shape having an opening centrally of the lower end thereof and a collar member 28 through which said pumping and spraying elements 23 are fixedly secured upon the shaft l 2 for rotation therewith within the openings in the baflles 5 and 1 respectively. As shown, the lower ends of the several spraying and pumping elements 23 extend downwardly into the body of liquid in the bottom of the shell or casing I and each of the pan-like receptacles 6 respectively, and are provided with a series of circumferentially arranged spaced openings or apertures 29 therein through which said pumping and spraying elements 23 gather up the liquid and force the same upwardly along the inner surface of the frusto-conical body portions 21 of said elements-due to the centrifugal action on the liquid caused by rotation of said elements. The upper end of each of the frusto-conical body portions 21 of the pumping and spraying elements 23 is provided with a substantially upstanding or raised rib, bead or the like 30 and otherwise formed to include a downwardly offset annular trough or channel 3| having an outwardly spaced circumferential upstanding flange or lip 32 constructed and arranged with respect to the rib or head 30 so that liquid discharged outwardly therefrom will be directed into contact with the free edge portion of said flange or lips 32, and be substantially atomized or broken up into a fine spray thereby, which is flung outwardly and transversely of thecasing as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

In addition to the foregoing, groups of elongated slots or openings 33 are formed in the frusto-conical body portions 21 of the pumping and spraying elements 23 at predetermined spaced intervals circumferentially thereof and these openings 33 are preferably staggered as shown so that the greater part of the liquid forced upwardly along the inner surface of said body portions 21 will be discharged outwardly through said openings 33 in at least one group thereof and for the purpose of substantially atomizing or breaking up this liquid into a spray, an annular member 34 including an upstanding flange or lip 35 is secured circumferentially of the body portion 21 of the pumping and spraying elements 23 and arranged with respect to each group of openings 33 therein in such manner that said liquid discharged therethrough will strike the free edgeportion of said flange or lip 35 in the manner previously described in connection with the flange or lip 32 and be broken up or substantially atomized into a fine spray.

A modification or modified form of pumping and spraying element" is shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing as designated generally by reference nu- \IITFISJ. 39. As shown, this form of element comprises a plurality of inverted substantially frusto-conical bodies 40 secured in predetermined closely spaced telescopic relation upon the shaft l2 for rotation therewith by means of suitable collars 4|. The upper end of each body 40 is provided, as in the case of the body 21 of the elements 23 previously described, with a raised bead 42 and otherwise formed to include a downwardly offset annular trough or channel 43 having an outwardly spaced circumferential flange or lip '44 constructed and arranged with respect to the bead'42 so that liquid discharged outwardly over the latter will be directed into contact with the free edge portion of said lip 44 and be substantially atomized or broken up into a fine spray thereby which is flung laterally outward therefrom. As in the case of the elements 23, the lower end or bottom of each telescoped body 40 is provided with a series of openings. 45 therein through which liquid is gathered, pumped and sprayed in the manner previously described.

An equally important feature of the invention resides in the novel spray forming flanges or lips 32, .35 and 44 respectively. As shown, these flanges or lips are imperforate to eliminate all recesses, openings and the like in whichdirt and foreign matter may collect or which may become clogged thereby, and the liquid is discharged against the upper edge portions of said lips which cut and break up the same into a fine spray. The imperforate flanges rotate with the frustoconical body portions of the pumping and spraying elements and due to the space or gap between.

the latter and said lips the peripheral speed thereof is considerably in excess of that of the body portion of the elements and facilitates atomization or breaking up of the liquid into a spray.

While certain specific embodiments of the invention have been set forth herein, it is not intended that said invention be limited thereto" but that changes and modifications may be incorporated and embodied therein within the scope of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. A rotatable liquid pumping element comprising a body element of inverted substantially frusto-conical form having axially spaced groups of circumferentially arranged openings therein, and imperforate baffle members rotatable with said pumping element and extending circumferentially of said body portion'outwardly adjacent the uppermost edge thereof and each group of openings therein arranged with respect thereto so that liquid discharged outwardly from said uppermost edge and openings by rotation of the pumping element will be engaged by an upper edge portion of said baffles and broken up thereby and discharged outwardly therefrom in the form of a fine spray.

2. A rotary liquid pumping element comprising a plurality of inverted substantially frustoconical members arranged in telescopic closely spaced axial relation, means for rotating said members as a unit to cause liquid to travel upwardly along the inner surface of each of the members and be discharged radially from the upper edges thereof by centrifugal force, and an outwardly spaced flange rotatable with each of the members, each of said flanges extending circumferentiallyv of the upper edge of each of the members and arranged to provide a relatively open gap between the latter and a corresponding flange with the upper edge portion of each flange disposed in the path of discharge of said liquid which will be flung freely across said gap from the upper edge of each member and engage said upper edge portion of each flange and be broken up thereby and discharged radially therefrom as a fine spray.

3. In a rotatable liquid pump, a body element of inverted substantially frusto-conical form having a continuous raised rib at its upper end and axially spaced groups of circumferentially arranged openings therein, and an imperforate baffle member rotatable with said body element and extending circumferentially thereof outwardly adjacent the uppermost edge of said continuous raised rib and each group of openings therein, said baffle members being arranged with respect to the rib and openings so that liquid discharged outwardly from said rib and openings by rotation of the body element will be engaged by an upper edge portion of a baffle member and broken up thereby and discharged outwardly therefrom in the form of a fine spray.

4. In a rotatable liquid pump of the character described, a rotatably mounted inverted substantially frusto-conical body element having a continuous raised rib at its upper end, and an imperforate member mounted for rotation with the body element and arranged in outwardly spaced relation with respect to said raised rib with its upper edge residing substantially in the plane of the rib to provide a relatively open gap between the latter and said imperforate member so that when said body element and member are rotated liquid is caused to travel upwardly along the inner surface of the body element and be discharged by centrifugal force outwardly from said raised rib and freely across the gap provided between said rib and the imperforate member into contact with an upper edge portion of the latter to be broken up thereby and discharged radially therefrom in the form of a fine spray.

5. Ina rotatable liquid pump of the character described, a rotatably mounted inverted substantially frusto-conical body element and an imperforate baflle member mounted for rotation with the body element and arranged in outwardly spaced relation with respect to said body element with its upper edge residing substantially in the plane of the upper edge of the body element to provide a relatively open gap between the latter and said imperforate bafile member so that when said body element and the bame member are rotated, liquid is caused to travel upwardly along the inner surface of the body element and be discharged by centrifugal force outwardly from the upper edge thereof and freely across the gap provided between said edge and the baffle member into contact with an upper edge portion of the latter to be broken up thereby and discharged radially therefrom in the form of a-flne spray.

CHARLES T. ASBURY. 

